Netflix’s next big focus: more fantasy and sci-fi movies and shows

Netflix going big on sci-fi and fantasy

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Netflix is looking to increase the number of sci-fi shows and movies it has on the service, as its viewers can’t get enough of these genres.

This is according to new research by analytics firm Ampere Analysis which took in viewing data from 66,000 subscribers in 16 different markets and noted that a whopping 29% of upcoming original content from Netflix will be either fantasy or sci-fi.

This is in the hope that it can capitalize on an audience that invested in shows such as Stranger Things and movies like Annihilation.

Fantasy focus

Sci-fi and fantasy weren’t always Netflix’s most popular genres. Just last year, it was comedy that dominated but this has been overtaken thanks to the likes of Altered Carbon, The OA and the recent Lost In Space reboot.

It’s not just Netflix seeing success in sci-fi and fantasy, either. Game of Thrones and WestWorld have been massive hits for HBO and Amazon is betting big on the Lord Of The Rings franchise to bring it a new legion of fantasy fans. Apple, another player in what is becoming a crowded market, announced recently that Amazing Stories will be part of its upcoming slate of original shows.

Whether Netflix is creating original sci-fi content or partnering for things like Star-Trek: Discovery and Cloverfield Paradox, it will continue doing so until its viewers’ tastes change as Ampere Analysis notes: "Netflix uses sophisticated customer analytics to rapidly respond to changes in subscriber taste, so as demand for Sci-Fi and Fantasy grows, so does the amount of commissioned content."